Don't know where they are now but betting most are still in Japan. During the shovel era I ran a 72 FLH and a 78 FXE along with a few ironheads. I think every time I was parked somewhere on either of the shovels I was approached by some entrepreneur in a suit wanting to buy the bike. Lotsa folks with money were buying every one they could find. Once they got a shipping container full it was shipped to a partner in Japan and sold for crazy money. It was a big bucks venture in the late 70's early 80's. That was also around the time stroker kits were popular and a lot of shovels just plain got blown up. When the Evo's came out was also the era where the older AMF era bikes were getting a bad rap and the RUBS all wanted Evo's and the older crowd now wanted Pans and the Shovels were just sorta forgotten about. I suspect most are still somewhere other than North America. Good luck with your search.

i'd venture to guess shovels are among the most common bikes on that forum. it is geared towards old bikes (american, british & european only) & traditionally influenced customs/choppers... so it is more in the Shovel-era focus.

a quick look at craigslist (seriously like crack; too addictive) shows 15 shovels for sale around Portland. not a huge number, but they're out there. prices are reasonable this time of year, too. including one that i wish i didn't see & wish i didn't just call about... i've too many projects and not enough time. oh well, what's one more?

That's too bad. It looks clean enough. My shovel can run at 80mph all day long and not break a sweat. It's not as quick off the line as my '63 XLCH was, but a hell of a lot more comfy on long rides.

ironheads sure don't win in the comfort category for long rides. my '67 was 11:1 with Andrews PB+ cams & a 19 tooth front sprocket. it'd flat rip off the line, but was nothing but vibration at 80mph. dear god was it bad.

right now it's 9.5:1, P cams & a 21 tooth front sprocket. it's still good off the line but cruises at 70mph. still buzzy at 80. a HOOT to ride, though. really, if i'm going somewhere... near or far... it's usually my first choice.

sure wish Baker had enough interest to make a 5 speed for them back when they were talking about it. a 5 speed ironhead would be perfect (for me). i keep thinking of cutting an ironhead motor up and putting a trans behind it.

my old panhead with a 5spd in a 4spd case would cruise at 80 all day long. whoever stole it sure got a cream puff.

ironheads sure don't win in the comfort category for long rides. my '67 was 11:1 with Andrews PB+ cams & a 19 tooth front sprocket. it'd flat rip off the line, but was nothing but vibration at 80mph. dear god was it bad.

right now it's 9.5:1, P cams & a 21 tooth front sprocket. it's still good off the line but cruises at 70mph. still buzzy at 80. a HOOT to ride, though. really, if i'm going somewhere... near or far... it's usually my first choice.

sure wish Baker had enough interest to make a 5 speed for them back when they were talking about it. a 5 speed ironhead would be perfect (for me). i keep thinking of cutting an ironhead motor up and putting a trans behind it.

11:1? Yikes. I hope you had electric start(: My '63 and my '72 Sporties were both kick only and I have the bad knee to prove it!

11:1? Yikes. I hope you had electric start(: My '63 and my '72 Sporties were both kick only and I have the bad knee to prove it!

i got the bike as a survivor. i'm the second owner... first owner blew the motor in 1972, rebuilt in 1977 and stored it away for the winter in the back bedroom of his house. he died later that year and it sat there in that room, under a quilt, until 5-ish years ago when i bought it from his daughter. i got all receipts & detailed notes from 1967 through just weeks before he died.
it was pretty rad; swing arm, crazy king/queen, iron sissy bar, 4" tubes. came with tons of parts, including the hardtail he planned on doing. i ran with it and made it mine.

he built the bike to haul ass. it did.

it's an XLH, so did have electric along with kick ('67 XLH was both electric/kick)... but the starter wouldn't turn the motor over for shit. i canned it and kicked for the first year of riding it daily. it pinged like mad, had to run the ignition so retarded to run pump gas it was pathetic. plus it was a BEAR to kick start.

i lost 2nd gear so took the down-time to tear the motor apart. 9.5:1 made the bike so, so much easier to live with. the ignition is back to ~stock advance now, too... really it's not much slower than it was, on pump gas. it'll run smoothly on 87 octane in the cool/cold months, too. starts first kick hot, 2-3 kicks cold.

i've had them do a thumper & they're getting my next harley bottom end. i rode a stroker XL that was balanced by them; it was surprisingly smooth.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucky23

Funny, both of my old Triumph Bonnie's vibrated WAY more uncomfortably than any of my Harley's. 65mph and they'd put my feet and my hands to sleep. Still loved em though.

my BSA vibrated so bad i couldn't see where i was going at anything more than 80mph....
i've got a Bonnie in the garage right now that i'd expect to be the same.

i've gone a GPS indicated 102mph on my '67, with a 21 tooth front sprocket. the vibes are enough to me somewhat annoying past 80 and absurd at 100. it's also a hard tail with the original Goodyear All-Traction rear, which has a wee hop to it.... though it sure felt a *lot* more stable than my stock/swing-arm 'CH did at that speed.